Prior art snowblowers which have included both an auger drive and a traction drive system commonly employ relatively complex constructions for transmitting the engine output to the auger and to the wheels. Additionally, engagement of the auger prior to engagement of the traction drive has found to be a desirable feature to avoid inadvertent blockage of the auger housing or of the snow discharge chute. If the traction drive is engaged prior to the auger, it is then possible that snow will be forced into the auger housing thereby clogging the auger housing and the discharge chute and preventing subsequent actuation of the snowblower. Prior art units have employed devices such as electrical interlocks in the auger and traction drive controls in order to provide for engagement of the auger for the traction drive, but such electrical interlocks required complicated assemblies and substantial expense in construction.
Another of the features of prior art snowblowers is that the controls of such snowblowers have been relatively complicated. The present invention proposes a simplified control mechanism for use in operating the snowblower wherein only two control handles are provided for the auger and traction drive mechanism. The invention also provides an improved drive mechanism which includes means for insuring engagement of the auger prior to the traction drive.
It has also been found that it is desirable in snowblower constructions to include a drive control which is spring actuated in such a way as to stop the operation of the machine in the event that the operator releases his grip of a control handle. Accordingly, the invention described is particularly constructed so as to include a unique control mechanism for both the auger and traction drive systems and wherein both the auger and traction drive will cease in the event the operator releases his grip on the control.